Colorado Ice Re-Sign 19 Players from 2011 Winning Season
August 26, 2011 - Indoor Football League (IFL)
Colorado Crush News Release
Fort Collins, CO - The Colorado Ice are proud to announce the re-signing of the 2011 IFL Most Improved Player, David Knighton and 18 veterans to the 2012 Pre-Season roster. The players are Dominic Applehans, Yaniv Barnett, Mason Barrett, Duane Brooks, Derek Douglas II, Idly Etienne, Terrance Gaston, Prince Hall, Mark Henderson, Demarcus James, James Johnson, Xavier Manuel, James Mayfield, Josh Morris, Corey Sample, Steven Turner, Kenneth Witter, and Jeff Younker.
Knighton, a 6'1", 215 lb quarterback from Harding University will be returning for his 3rd season with the Ice. Knighton played in all 15 games for the Ice, giving the team consistency at quarterback that was lacking last season. For the season, Knighton completed 57% of his passes for 2,188 yards, 43 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. Knighton finished 5th in the league in touchdown passes and had the 2nd fewest interceptions of any quarterback with at least 40 touchdown passes. Knighton also showed his athleticism throughout the season, rushing for 323 yards and 2 touchdowns; placing him 2nd on the team in rushing yards. For his stellar season, Knighton was named the 2011 IFL Most Improved Player.
Applehans, a 6'2", 250 lb defensive end from Mesa State College will be returning for his 3rd season with the Ice. For the 2011 season, Applehans played in 11 games recording 45 tackles and 4.5 sacks; placing him 3rd on the team in sacks.
Barnett, a 6'3", 305 lb defensive lineman from the University of Arizona will be returning for his 3rd season with the Ice. During the 2011 season, Barnett played in 12 games, recording 33 tackles, 4 sacks, and 1 interception; placing him 4th on the team in sacks.
Barrett, a 6'5", 320 lb offensive lineman from Texas A&M University will be returning for his 4th season with the Ice. Barrett played in 12 games for the ICE, proving to be a dominate force in the balanced offensive attack.
Brooks, a 5'11", 185 lb wide receiver from Central Michigan University will be returning to the Ice for his 2nd season. Brooks, one of the top rookie receivers in the league, played in 14 games, recording 51 receptions for 645 yards and 10 touchdowns. Brooks' versatility allowed him to record 1,067 all purpose yards and 12 touchdowns; placing him 1st on the team and 13th in the league in all purpose yards.
Douglas, a 6'0", 185 lb defensive back from Tuskegee University will be returning to the Ice for his 2nd season. Douglas didn't play with the Ice for the 2011 season, as he was with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the CFL. Douglas played with the Ice in the 2010 season, competing in 9 games, before signing with Hamilton. While with the Ice, Douglas recorded 35 tackles, 1 interception, and 4 pass break-ups.
Etienne, a 5'11", 205 lb defensive back from Alcorn State University will be returning to the Ice for his 3rd season. Etienne was the only defensive player for the Ice to play in all 15 games, accumulating 103 tackles, 3 sacks, 3 interceptions, 3 forced fumbles, and 10 pass break-ups; placing him 1st on the team and 12th in the league in tackles. Etienne's work didn't go unnoticed as he received 2nd Team All IFL honors for the 2011 season.
Gaston, a 6'3", 235 lb linebacker from Northeastern State (OK) University, played in one game for the Ice, recording 4 tackles and 0.5 sacks. Gaston came to the Ice late in the season, proving his worth in just a short amount of time.
Hall, a 6'0", 260 lb linebacker from the University of Alabama will be returning to the Ice for his 2nd season. During the 2011 season, Hall accumulated 91 tackles, 5 sacks, 2 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles, and 2 pass break-ups; placing him 2nd on the team in tackles and sacks, and 5th on the team in interceptions.
Henderson, a 5'11", 185 lb wide receiver from Missouri Southern State University will be returning to the Ice for his 2nd season. Henderson played in 5 games during the 2011 season, recording 11 catches for 154 yards and 3 touchdowns. Henderson broke onto the scene against Arizona at home, recording 3 receptions for 89 yards and 2 touchdowns.
James, a 6'0", 190 lb defensive back will be returning to the Ice for his 2nd season. James came to the Ice midway through the season after spending the early part of the year with the Dallas Vigilantes of the AFL. In only 4 games played, James recorded 27 tackles and 1 interception on the defensive side of the ball. James also had an impact on special teams recording 364 return yards and 2 touchdowns; placing him 1st on the team and 4th in the league in kick return touchdowns.
Johnson, a 6'0", 200 lb defensive back from the University of North Alabama will be returning to the Ice for his 2nd season. For the 2011 season, Johnson played in 11 games, recording 59 tackles and 4 pass break-ups; placing him 4th on the team in tackles.
Manuel, a 6'1", 305 lb offensive lineman from Alabama A&M University will be returning to the Ice for a 2nd season. Manuel was a key component to the improved play of the offensive line for the Ice in the 2011 season; serving as the starting right guard for a large amount of the season. Manuel's versatility allowed him to play across the entire offensive line as well as on the defensive side of the ball throughout the year.
Mayfield, a 6'4", 200 lb wide receiver from Eastern Oregon University will be returning to the Ice for his 2nd season. Mayfield came to the Ice late in the season, playing in only one game. Mayfield did prove his worth as he recorded 6 receptions for 109 yards and 3 touchdowns; giving him one of the best statistical games for an Ice receiver during the season.
Morris, a 6'0", 185 lb defensive back from Weber State University and the Philadelphia Eagles will return to the Ice for a 2nd season. Morris came to the Ice early into the season after spending time in the NFL and with various AFL teams. Morris finished the season with 53 tackles, 7 interceptions, and 10 pass break-ups; placing him 1st on the team in interceptions and 5th on the team in tackles.
Sample, a 5'9", 195 lb defensive back from Indiana University of Pennsylvania will be returning to the Ice for his 3rd season. Sample played in 12 games for the Ice in the 2011 season, recording 38 tackles, 5 interceptions, 1 forced fumble, and 6 pass break-ups; placing him 2nd on the team in interceptions and 7th on the team in tackles.
Turner, a 6'2", 273 lb defensive lineman from the University of Memphis spent the early part of the 2011 season with the Ice, but didn't play in any games. Turner had a productive career at Memphis, playing in 45 games and accumulating 70 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and 1 interception.
Witter, a 6'2", 210 lb wide receiver from Indiana University of Pennsylvania will be returning to the Ice for his 3rd season. Witter competed in 10 games during the 2011 season, recording 32 receptions for 376 yards and 11 touchdowns; placing him 3rd on the team in receptions and yards and 1st on the team in receiving touchdowns.
Younker, a 6'3", 305 lb offensive lineman from Adams State College will be back for a 2nd season with the Ice. Younker was a versatile piece of the Ice offensive line throughout the season, as he played every position on the offensive front. Younker also served as the teams short snapper on PAT and field goal attempts throughout the season.
The Colorado Ice are proud members of the Indoor Football League (IFL). All home games are played on Majestic Roofing Field at the Budweiser Events Center located in Loveland, Colorado. 2012 Season Ticket information is available by contacting the Colorado Ice offices at (970) 472-0128.
Indoor Football League Stories from August 26, 2011
- Colorado Ice Re-Sign 19 Players from 2011 Winning Season - Colorado Crush
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